• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, March 24, 2015

“Your TV show sucks. I mean, it really sucks. And my friends think so as well. What are you going to do about it?”

Imagine the above remark was a comment left on a popular social media site. Think a TV network should offer this person something better for their less-than-happy experience with their product?

TV networks/producers have always walked the fine line of creative and marketing tension when it comes to what consumers think of their TV shows -- and how to make changes.

A new documentary called “Billion Dollar Bully” looks at how the consumer review platform Yelp allegedly works with local businesses to counter negative reviews. The alleged help? If you buy an ad on the site, those thumbs-down reviews can be removed.

In a trailer for the movie, one local restaurant owner said that soon after declining to buy a Yelp ad, his  two positive reviews were removed.

Small businesses have much more on the line than big TV networks who rolls out scores of TV shows. These products/services have a limited shelf life -- and survival rate.   Some say industry average for successful TV show can much less than 10%, for example.

What can entertainment marketers do? Fewer objective/balanced reviews -- in social media, in particular -- garner awareness. Social media users are more attracted to screaming headlines, name calling, and other negative stuff. That will always hit the loudest noise level.

So what is this consumer input really worth?